Monsanto reaches $2.4M settlement with wheat farmers in Pacific Northwest in GMO dispute

Monsanto Co. says it will pay $2.4 million to settle a dispute with farmers in the Pacific Northwest over genetically modified wheat.

The discovery of the genetically modified wheat in Oregon in 2013 prompted Japan and South Korea to temporarily suspend some wheat orders, and the European Union called for more rigorous testing of U.S. shipments.

No genetically engineered wheat has been approved for U.S. farming.

Federal agriculture officials determined the wheat is the same strain as one tested by Monsanto a decade ago that was never approved.

Monsanto will put $2.1 million into a settlement fund to pay farmers in Washington, Oregon and Idaho who sold soft white wheat between May 30 and Nov. 30 last year. It also will make payments to several regional growers associations.